diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7b28ca8..9fb4ef4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 All notable changes to the Zlux App Server package will be documented in this file.
 ## v3.0.0
-- Bugfix: ommiting `zowe.logDirectory` forces the app-server to log into the `zowe.runtimeDirectory`. (#317)
+- Enhancement: if no `zowe.logDirectory` is defined in config, logging is disabled. (#317)
 
 ## v2.17.0
 - Enhancement: app-server can now use Zowe's standardized and simplified AT-TLS configuration simply by toggling `zowe.network.server.tls.attls: true` or `components.app-server.zowe.network.server.tls.attls: true`. If you wish to control client tls separately from server tls, you can also use `zowe.network.client.tls.attls` or `components.app-server.zowe.network.client.tls.attls`. (#300) (#303)
diff --git a/bin/utils/setup-logs.sh b/bin/utils/setup-logs.sh
index 4fb4438..f5d4306 100644
--- a/bin/utils/setup-logs.sh
+++ b/bin/utils/setup-logs.sh
@@ -7,99 +7,118 @@
 #
 # Copyright Contributors to the Zowe Project.
 
-ZWED_TMP_MSGID='zlux-app-server/bin/utils/setup-logs.sh:'
-
-if [ -n "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE" ]; then
-  if [ -n "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR" ]; then
-    echo "${ZWED_TMP_MSGID} ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE set (value $ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE). Ignoring ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR."
+if [ -n "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE" ]
+then
+  if [ -n "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR" ]
+  then
+    echo "ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE set (value $ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE).  Ignoring ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR."
   fi
 else
   # _FILE was not specified; default filename, and check and maybe default _DIR
-  if [ -z "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR" ]; then
-    if [ -d "$ZWE_zowe_logDirectory" ]; then
-      ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR=${ZWE_zowe_logDirectory}
+  if [ -z "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR" ]
+  then
+    if [ -d "$ZWE_zowe_logDirectory" ]
+    then
+        ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR=${ZWE_zowe_logDirectory}
     elif [ -n "${HOME}" ]; then
       ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR="${HOME}/.zowe/logs"
     else
-      echo "${ZWED_TMP_MSGID} Cannot determine the log directory. Logging disabled."
-      ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE="/dev/null"
-      ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR=
+      if [ -z "${ZWE_zowe_runtimeDirectory}" ]; then
+        ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR="../log"
+      else
+        echo "Cannot determine the log directory. Logging disabled."
+        ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR=
+        ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE=/dev/null
+      fi
     fi
   fi
 
-  if [ -f "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR" ]; then
+  if [ -f "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR" ]
+  then
     ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE=$ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR
-  elif [ ! -d "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR" ] && [ ! -z "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR" ]; then
-    echo "${ZWED_TMP_MSGID} Will make log directory $ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR"
-    mkdir -p $ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR
-    if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-      echo "${ZWED_TMP_MSGID} Cannot make log directory. Logging disabled."
-      ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE=/dev/null
+  elif [ ! -d "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR" ]
+  then
+    if [ -n "${ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR}" ]; then
+      echo "Will make log directory $ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR"
+      mkdir -p $ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR
+      if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+        echo "Cannot make log directory.  Logging disabled."
+        ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE=/dev/null
+      fi
     fi
   fi
 
   ZLUX_ROTATE_LOGS=0
-  if [ -d "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR" ] && [ -z "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE" ]; then
+  if [ -d "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR" ] && [ -z "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE" ]
+  then
     ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE="$ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR/appServer-`date +%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M`.log"
-    if [ -z "$ZWED_NODE_LOGS_TO_KEEP" ]; then
+    if [ -z "$ZWED_NODE_LOGS_TO_KEEP" ]
+    then
       ZWED_NODE_LOGS_TO_KEEP=5
     fi
     echo $ZWED_NODE_LOGS_TO_KEEP|egrep '^\-?[0-9]+$' >/dev/null
-    if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-      echo "${ZWED_TMP_MSGID} ZWED_NODE_LOGS_TO_KEEP not a number. Defaulting to 5."
+    if [ $? -ne 0 ]
+    then
+      echo "ZWED_NODE_LOGS_TO_KEEP not a number.  Defaulting to 5."
       ZWED_NODE_LOGS_TO_KEEP=5
     fi
-    if [ $ZWED_NODE_LOGS_TO_KEEP -ge 0 ]; then
+    if [ $ZWED_NODE_LOGS_TO_KEEP -ge 0 ]
+    then
       ZLUX_ROTATE_LOGS=1
     fi
   fi
 
   #Clean up excess logs, if appropriate.
-  if [ $ZLUX_ROTATE_LOGS -ne 0 ]; then
-    for f in `ls -r -1 $ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR/appServer-*.log 2>/dev/null | tail +$ZWED_NODE_LOGS_TO_KEEP`; do
-      echo "${ZWED_TMP_MSGID} Removing ${f}"
+  if [ $ZLUX_ROTATE_LOGS -ne 0 ]
+  then
+    for f in `ls -r -1 $ZWED_NODE_LOG_DIR/appServer-*.log 2>/dev/null | tail +$ZWED_NODE_LOGS_TO_KEEP`
+    do
+      echo nodeServer.sh removing $f
       rm -f $f
     done
   fi
 fi
 
 ZLUX_NODE_CHECK_DIR="$(dirname "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE")"
-if [ ! -d "$ZLUX_NODE_CHECK_DIR" ]; then
-  echo "${ZWED_TMP_MSGID} ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE contains nonexistent directories. Creating '${ZLUX_NODE_CHECK_DIR}'"
+if [ ! -d "$ZLUX_NODE_CHECK_DIR" ]
+then
+  echo "ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE contains nonexistent directories.  Creating $ZLUX_NODE_CHECK_DIR"
   mkdir -p $ZLUX_NODE_CHECK_DIR
-  if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-    echo "${ZWED_TMP_MSGID} Cannot make log directory. Logging disabled."
+  if [ $? -ne 0 ]
+  then
+    echo "Cannot make log directory.  Logging disabled."
     ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE=/dev/null
   fi
 fi
 #Now sanitize final log filename: if it is relative, make it absolute before cd to js
-if [ "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE" != "/dev/null" ]; then
+if [ "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE" != "/dev/null" ]
+then
   ZLUX_NODE_CHECK_DIR=$(cd "$(dirname "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE")"; pwd)
   ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE=$ZLUX_NODE_CHECK_DIR/$(basename "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE")
 fi
 
-echo "${ZWED_TMP_MSGID} ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE=${ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE}"
 
-if [ ! -z $(echo "${ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE}" | grep "^${ZWE_zowe_runtimeDirectory}") ]; then
-  echo "${ZWED_TMP_MSGID} Logging into zowe.runtimeDirectory not allowed. Logging disabled."
-  ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE=/dev/null
-fi
+echo ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE=${ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE}
 
-if [ ! -e $ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE ]; then
+if [ ! -e $ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE ]
+then
   touch $ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE
-  if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-    echo "${ZWED_TMP_MSGID} Cannot make log file. Logging disabled."
+  if [ $? -ne 0 ]
+  then
+    echo "Cannot make log file.  Logging disabled."
     ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE=/dev/null
   fi
 else
-  if [ -d $ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE ]; then
-    echo "${ZWED_TMP_MSGID} '${ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE}' is a directory. Must be a file. Logging disabled."
+  if [ -d $ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE ]
+  then
+    echo "ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE is a directory.  Must be a file.  Logging disabled."
     ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE=/dev/null
   fi
 fi
 
-if [ ! -w "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE" ]; then
-  echo "${ZWED_TMP_MSGID} File '${ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE}' is not writable. Logging disabled."
+if [ ! -w "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE" ]
+then
+  echo file "$ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE" is not writable. Logging disabled.
   ZWED_NODE_LOG_FILE=/dev/null
 fi